My friend from Italy, Davide Splendore, joins our company with a really outstanding WWI Nieuport-17!!! Take your time and enjoy a great, inspiring build!!!

(Comments by Thanos Mentzelopoulos)

1/32 Academy Nieuport-17

by "Davide Splendore"

The Nieuport 17 was a French biplane fighter aircraft of World War I, manufactured by the Nieuport company. The type was a slightly larger development of the earlier Nieuport 11, and had a more powerful engine, larger wings, and a more refined structure in general. At first, it was equipped with a 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône 9J engine, though later versions were upgraded to a 130 hp (97 kW) engine. It had outstanding maneuverability, and an excellent rate of climb. Unfortunately, the narrow lower wing, marking it as a "sesquiplane" design with literally "one-and-a-half wings", was weak due to its single spar construction, and had a disconcerting tendency to disintegrate in flight.

Initially, the Nieuport 17 retained the above wing mounted Lewis gun of the "11", but in French service this was soon replaced by a synchronised Vickers gun. In the Royal Flying Corps, the wing mounted Lewis was usually retained, by now on the improved Foster mounting, a curved metal rail which allowed the pilot to bring the gun down in order to change drums or clear jams. A few individual aircraft were fitted with both guns - but in practice this reduced performance unacceptably, and a single machine gun remained standard.

 

I hope you like my Nieuport!!!

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Text & Photos by Davide Splendore